- 30.01.2025
- News
Ireland: Compulsory licensing for tobacco products and e-cigarettes
From 2026, Irish retailers will have to acquire a paid licence to sell tobacco and e-cigarettes. This measure aims to limit the availability of these products and reduce the prevalence of smoking. In Switzerland, on the other hand, no national regulation exists, including in the Tobacco Products Act (LPTab) that came into force on 1 October 2024, a fact the Swiss Association for Tobacco Control deplores.
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Ireland introduces licensing requirement
From February 2026, retail outlets in Ireland will have to apply for a licence from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to sell tobacco products and e-cigarettes. This measure is an effective way to reduce the number of outlets and thus make access to tobacco products more difficult, particularly for young people. It is also a simple tool to help municipalities control outlets. The aim of such a compulsory licence is to reduce the consumption of tobacco and nicotine products and to protect young people.
The cost of this licence is € 1000 for the sale of tobacco and € 800 for the sale of e-cigarettes. This measure is part of the Irish strategy to reduce the prevalence of smoking to less than 5% and to create a smoke-free society. According to the Department of Health, the percentage of people who smoke in the Irish population is currently 18%. By comparison, almost a quarter of the population (24%) over the age of 15 still smoke in Switzerland – significantly more!
Scientifically proven measures
Scientific literature has demonstrated for several years that the density of tobacco retail outlets is systematically associated with poor tobacco consumption outcomes. Indeed, it has been proven that a reduced number of outlets makes access to tobacco products more difficult, reduces the risk of relapse and, in particular, prevents young people from starting to use tobacco.
Health organisations are calling for the introduction of such a licensing system to combat the health and social consequences of tobacco and nicotine consumption.
Licensing requirement also called for in Switzerland
In Switzerland, no mandatory national authorisation for the sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes exists. Only some parts of French-speaking Switzerland require sales outlets to apply for authorisation (licence) from the canton or commune, or at least require them to report that they sell tobacco products and e-cigarettes.
A motion on this subject, which instructed the Federal Council to introduce a paid licence for the sale of tobacco products, was rejected in 2018. The new Tobacco Products Act (LPTab), which came into force on 1 October 2024, also does not contain such a measure. This is a serious omission from the point of view of the Swiss Association for Tobacco Control, because a national licensing system can help reduce tobacco consumption and improve the protection of young people.
Links
https://www.at-schweiz.ch/de/advocacy/recht-gesetz/gesetzgebung-in-den-kantonen/
Reference
Glasser AM, Roberts ME. Retailer density reduction approaches to tobacco control: A review. Health Place. 2021 Jan; 67:102342. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102342. Epub 2020 Apr 27. PMID: 33526207; PMCID: PMC7856310.